The present invention generally relates to a backboard and hoop assembly for playing the game of basketball. More specifically, the present invention relates to a portable basketball backboard and hoop assembly that can be selectively attached to a plurality of structures.
The game of basketball is widely enjoyed and a basketball court can be found at most gymnasiums or playgrounds. However, it is often desired to play basketball away from a gymnasium or playground court, including in swimming pools and at remote locations, and a portable, easily erected backboard and hoop that can be assembled and attached to a variety of structures has not been identified by the Applicant. Various basketball hoop assemblies have been disclosed in the prior art, however these assemblies do not provide the versatility and easy transportability necessary for a commercially marketable portable backboard and hoop assembly attachable to a variety of structures. For examples, a basketball backboard and hoop attachable to a roof is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,262 to Lounsbury which provides an adjustable bracket for attachment to roofs of various slopes; U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,148 to Gross and U.S. Pat. No. 2,227,310 to Hoppes et al. disclose portable basketball backstops supported by multi-component frames; U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,254 to Dunn, U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,286 to Weinhagen et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,136 to Raba et al. disclose poolside basketball apparatuses; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,599 to Raymond et al. and U.S. Pat. No 4,717,150 to Pribnow disclose basketball backboard and hoop assemblies attachable to a swimming pool diving board. An attachment to support a basketball hoop on a seat of gymnasium bleachers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,973 to Kohlman et al.
While the above-mentioned apparatuses provide means to erect a basketball backboard and hoop in various locations, none of the prior art references provides a easily transportable backboard and hoop assembly that can be selective attached to a plurality of structures. Furthermore, the basketball backboard and hoop apparatuses of the prior art are either fixedly or rigidly attached to its supporting structure and thus may be damaged when struck during play. Spring-biased pivotally-mounted hoops are known in the prior art which disengage from the upright position when struck during play, but no prior art means have been identified by the Applicant for resilient or flexible support of a backboard to prevent damage to the support structure when the backboard is struck during play.